Transmission / Overdrive: Flightomatic downshift

[Kurt]

Today I took the 66 out on a long drive, about 50 miles. It was the first one of the season and it was great to be Studebakering again.

The car has a 63 289 and a flightomatic. The flightomatic was out this winter for new seals and clutches. On a test run yesterday I fiddled with the throttle control to firm up the shifts and get passing gear. The problem is that I can't get it to shift back down to second when I come to a stop. If I bump it into low and back to drive it will downshift back to second and off we go. I thoroughly cleaned the valve body when it was apart. Do I need to fiddle with the control pressure some more? Maybe at the top?

[showbizkid]

Kurt, I don't have an answer but I have a similar problem. Looking forward to seeing the responses.

[Kurt]

This transmission has always done this since it has been in the car...

I have a Stude converted ford cruise o matic ready to go in some day if I find the correct valve body.

I decided since the other one was not ready, I would pull the other and freshen it up a bit. Knowing it had this problem I cleaned the valve body real good. I also put in clutch plates and seals. Before it would only shift down when you came to a comeplete stop. Now it won't at all.

[Dan Timberlake]

The 59-64 Shop manual has a diagnosis section for flightomatic. I was looking for delayed (never) shift from 3-2. It talks about "locking up" which I don't thing matches your description.
My repro 54-63 Chilton has a section for merco/fordo/flighto-matix. Among the "troubles" listed are "shoft from hihg to intermediate cannot be forced" and "no 2-1 downshift". I think this is a 2nd gear start trans, but the first probable cause for both problems is maladjusted throttle lnkage.

The 59-64 Shop manual has a section for adjusting the flightomatic linkages. There's a section for the carb-to-trans-throttle-valve linkage. There's another for the "manual control valve linkage" that always belongs in the "D" or centered position. There's a third section for the throttlevalve stop inside the pan.

[Kurt]

Yeah... I too have studied the shop manual. It also says that the closed throttle downshift should occur at 3-8mph. It does not really say, how that speed is to be adjusted. I would assume that it would be the adjustment that is "up top" This car has and edelbrock carb, and I think all of my linkage was originally for a 2 barrel set up. So I am guessing again that my problem is related to those issues. Any more suggestions anyone??